Singulated dies in a parallel optics module

ABSTRACT

A parallel optics module including singulated dies. A first singulated die includes a first semiconductor optical component, and a second die includes a second semiconductor optical component. The first and second dies are mounted to a substrate. The first and second dies to be integrated into a parallel optics module.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/244,579, filed Oct. 6, 2005, which is a divisional of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/938,036, filed Sep. 10, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.6,975,784 B1, and claims the benefit therefrom under 35 U.S.C. §120.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of optical systems andmore specifically, but not exclusively, to singulated dies in a paralleloptics module.

2. Background Information

Optical systems are used today to move data and communications. Paralleloptics involves using a number of optical channels over multiple opticalfibers. Usually, each fiber carries a single optical channel. In aparallel optics system, a transmit module includes several transmittersthat are connected to several optical fibers bundled in a fiber ribboncable. A receiver module having several optical receivers is connectedto the fiber ribbon cable to receive the optical signals.

In current parallel optics modules, an array of 12 Vertical CavitySurface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) may be formed on one die. The pitchbetween the VCSELs is usually 250 microns to match the pitch between acorresponding array of 12 glass optical fibers. Since the core of theglass optical fibers is typically 8 to 62.5 microns, the 250 micronpitch of the VCSELs necessitates an alignment accuracy of the VCSELs ofapproximately 3-5 microns using multimode glass optical fiber. Further,since the VCSELs are formed in an array on a single die, if a defect isdiscovered in one VCSEL, the entire die is usually discarded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention aredescribed with reference to the following figures, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various viewsunless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a parallel opticsmodule in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a plastic opticalfiber in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a parallel opticsmodule in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a parallel opticsmodule in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a parallel opticsmodule in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a router including aparallel optics module in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth toprovide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. Oneskilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments ofthe invention can be practiced without one or more of the specificdetails, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In otherinstances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shownor described in detail to avoid obscuring understanding of thisdescription.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiment is includedin at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, theappearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” invarious places throughout this specification are not necessarily allreferring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features,structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner inone or more embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a parallel optics module 100 isshown. Parallel optics module 100 includes two or more singulated dies104 coupled to a substrate 112. In one embodiment, dies 104 are attachedto substrate 112 using well-known die attach methods.

Parallel optics module 100 includes an optical fiber array 108. Opticalfiber array 108 includes two or more optical fibers 110. Optical fibers110 include glass optical fibers, plastic optical fibers, and otherlight transmission medium. In one embodiment, the number of opticalfibers 110 may correspond to the number of dies 104. For example, ifthere are four dies 104, then there may be four optical fibers 110. Inanother embodiment, the number of optical fibers 110 does not match thenumber of singulated dies 104, such as in a 4 channel transceiverconnected to a 12 fiber ribbon cable.

Parallel optics module 100 may also include a lens 106. Lens 106 couplesan optical signal transmitted or received by one or more dies 104 to acorresponding one or more optical fibers 110. In an alternativeembodiment, optical signals transmitted or received by dies 104 arecoupled to optical fibers 110 without lens 106.

Each singulated die 104 includes a single semiconductor opticalcomponent 105. In one embodiment, a singulated die includessemiconductor material such as, for example, Indium Phosphide (InP),Silicon Germanium (SiGe), Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), or the like. A singlesemiconductor optical component may be formed from the semiconductormaterial using well-known fabrication methods. In one embodiment, singlesemiconductor optical component 105 includes an optical transmitter,such as, for example, a VCSEL, a Fabry-Perot (FP) laser, a DistributedFeedback (DFB) laser, a Light Emitting Diode (LED), a Resonant CavityLight Emitting Diode (RCLED), or the like. In another embodiment, singlesemiconductor optical component 105 includes an optical receiver, suchas, for example, a photo intrinsic (PIN) diode, an Avalanche Photo Diode(APD), or the like.

In one embodiment, all singulated dies 104 include optical transmitters,such as, for example, in a 12-channel transmitter. While in anotherembodiment, all singulated dies 104 include optical receivers, such as,for example, in a 12-channel receiver. In yet another embodiment,singulated dies 104 include a combination of optical transmitters andoptical receivers, such as, for example, in an 8-channel transceiverhaving 4 optical transmitters and 4 optical receivers. It will beunderstood that in a transceiver embodiment, the number of opticaltransmitters does not necessarily have to match the number of opticalreceivers.

Referring to FIG. 2, an embodiment of a plastic optical fiber 200 isshown. In one embodiment, plastic optical fiber 200 includes plasticoptical fiber “Lucina” from the Asahi Glass Corporation. In anotherembodiment, plastic optical fiber 200 includes Plastic-Clad Silica (PCS)fiber. In an embodiment including a PCS fiber, the PCS fiber may have acore diameter of at least 100 microns.

Plastic optical fiber 200 includes a core 202 surrounded by a cladding204. A re-enforced layer 206 surrounds cladding 204. In one embodiment,core 202 may have a diameter 208 of 100 to 1000 microns. In anotherembodiment, a diameter 210 of plastic optical fiber 200 may be 125 to1000 microns.

In one embodiment, plastic optical fiber 200 includes a graded indexfiber. In general, a graded index fiber is an optical fiber with a corehaving a refractive index that decreases as the distance from the centerof the core increases. In another embodiment, plastic optical fiber 200includes a step index fiber. In general, a step index fiber has asubstantially uniform refractive index throughout the core and a sharpdecrease in refractive index where the core meets the cladding. Plasticoptical fiber 200 may include single mode fiber and multi-mode fiber.

Referring to FIG. 3, an embodiment of a parallel optics module 300 isshown. Parallel optics module 300 includes a singulated die 302 and asingulated die 306 mounted to a substrate 320. Singulated die 302includes a VCSEL 304, and singulated die 306 includes a PIN diode 308.Electrical connections to VCSEL 304 and PIN diode 308 are not shown forclarity.

In one embodiment, singulated die 306 has a width 310 of approximately300 microns, a length 312 of approximately 300 microns, and a height 314of approximately 150 microns. In one embodiment, singulated dies 302 and306 may have substantially similar dimensions; in another embodiment,singulated dies 302 and 306 may have different dimensions.

Parallel optics module 300 includes a plastic optical fiber 322 and aplastic optical fiber 324. Centerline 328 indicates the center ofplastic optical fiber 322 (also known as the fiber axis). Centerline 330corresponds to the center of plastic optical fiber 324. In analternative embodiment, a lens may be positioned between singulated die302 and plastic optical fiber 322, and between singulated die 306 andplastic optical fiber 324.

In one embodiment, the core sizes of the plastic optical fibers allowsfor alignment tolerances of the singulated dies above 5 microns.Alignment tolerance refers to the accuracy of attachment of a singulateddie on a substrate. If a singulated die is placed outside of itsalignment tolerances, then an acceptable amount of light may not passbetween the optical fiber and the single semiconductor optical componentof the singulated die. It will be understood that when a singulated dieis out of alignment, light may still pass between the optical fiber andthe single semiconductor device, but the loss of light may be outside ofan acceptable level. The loss of light increases as the singulated dieis further out of alignment. The more loss of light that is acceptable,the greater the alignment tolerance in attaching the singulated die tothe substrate.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, singulated die 302 has an alignmenttolerance 326. In one embodiment, singulated die 302 is aligned usingwell-known die attachment techniques. Centerline 328 projected ontosubstrate 320 is the nominal alignment position of singulated die 302 onsubstrate 320. This nominal alignment position results in an alignmentof a center 305 of VCSEL 304 with plastic optical fiber 322. In oneembodiment, singulated die 302 has an alignment tolerance 326 ofapproximately 20 microns. Thus, in this particular embodiment,singulated die 302 may not be positioned more than 20 microns from itsnominal position on substrate 320.

In another embodiment, the diameter of plastic optical fiber results ina distance between the fiber axis of adjacent fibers that eases theattachment of multiple singulated dies. In one embodiment, the distancebetween centerlines 328 and 330 may be approximately 500 microns ormore. In this particular embodiment, a pitch 316 between singulated dies302 and 306 may be approximately 500 microns or more. In otherembodiments, pitch 316 may be less than 500 microns.

In yet another embodiment, the use of singulated dies may increase theyield of parallel optics modules. For example, if a singulated die failsto meet manufacturing specifications, then that singulated die may bediscarded before it is attached to a substrate with other singulateddies. A passing singulated die may simply be used in place of the faultysingulated die. Thus, in one embodiment, all the singulated dies may betested before being attached to a substrate.

Referring to FIG. 4, an embodiment of a parallel optics module 400 isshown. Parallel optics module 400 includes singulated dies 402 arrangedin a two-dimensional array 404. The singulated dies 402 are coupled to asubstrate 410. Parallel optics module 400 may include a correspondingtwo-dimensional array of optical fibers (not shown for clarity). It willbe understood the two-dimensional array 404 is not limited to thearrangement shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 5, an embodiment of a parallel optics module 500coupled to a printed circuit board (PCB) 512 is shown. Parallel opticsmodule 500 includes singulated dies as described herein. Parallel opticsmodule 500 may include an optical transmitter, an optical receiver, oran optical transceiver.

Parallel optics module 500 includes an electrical connector 504 tocouple module 500 to PCB 512. Electrical connector 504 may include aball grid array (BGA), a pluggable pin array, a surface mount connector,or the like.

Parallel optics module 500 may include an optical port 506. In oneembodiment, optical port 506 may include an optical port to receive aMulti-Fiber Push On (MPO) connector 508. MPO connector 508 is coupled toan optical fiber ribbon 510. In one embodiment, the optical fiber ribbon510 includes two or more plastic optical fibers.

In one embodiment, the singulated dies of parallel optics module 500 mayemit light at different wavelengths for use in Wavelength DivisionMultiplexing (WDM). In one embodiment, parallel optics module 500 maytransmit and/or receive optical signals at approximately 850 nanometers(nm). In another embodiment, parallel optics module 500 may operate withoptical signals having a transmission data rate of approximately 3-4Gigabits per second (Gb/s) per channel. In yet another embodiment,optical signals transmitted and received by parallel optics module 500may travel up to a few hundred meters. It will be understood thatembodiments of the invention are not limited to the optical signalcharacteristics described herein.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a router 600. Router 600 includes aparallel optics module 606 included singulated dies as described herein.In another embodiment, router 600 may be a switch, or other similarnetwork element. In an alternative embodiment, parallel optics module606 may be used in a computer system, such as a server.

Parallel optics module 606 may be coupled to a processor 608 and storage610 via a bus 612. In one embodiment, storage 610 has storedinstructions executable by processor 608 to operate router 600.

Router 600 includes input ports 602 and output ports 604. In oneembodiment, router 600 receives optical signals at input ports 602. Theoptical signals are converted to electrical signals by parallel opticsmodule 606. Parallel optics module 606 may also convert electricalsignals to optical signals and then the optical signals are sent fromrouter 600 via output ports 604.

The above description of illustrated embodiments of the invention,including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed.While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention aredescribed herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalentmodifications are possible, as those skilled in the relevant art willrecognize. These modifications can be made to embodiments of theinvention in light of the above detailed description.

The terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limitthe invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in thespecification. Rather, the following claims are to be construed inaccordance with established doctrines of claim interpretation.

1. A system, comprising: a printed circuit board; a parallel opticsmodule coupled to the printed circuit board, the parallel optics moduleincluding: a substrate; two or more dies attached to the substrate,wherein each die includes a single semiconductor optical component,wherein the two or more dies are attached to the substrate with analignment tolerance between approximately 5 microns and approximately 20microns; and two or more optical fibers corresponding to the two or moredies optically aligned with the two or more dies.
 2. The system of claim1 wherein the two or more optical fibers include at least one plasticoptical fiber.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the single semiconductoroptical component includes one of an optical transmitter and an opticalreceiver.
 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an opticalconnector coupled to the parallel optics module, the optical connectorcoupled to a fiber optic ribbon.
 5. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a processor communicatively coupled to the parallel opticsmodule; and a storage component communicatively coupled to the paralleloptics module.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is one of anetwork element and a computer system.